Training in Sports

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Flexibility is the range of movement of the joints of a sports person.

Following are the stretching ways for flexibility development:

Active Stretching: Active stretching is where you are taking the muscle beyond its normal range of motion with assistance (PNF or with the help of a partner) Passive stretching allows the muscles and tendons to stretch naturally without the use of additional forces acting on the muscle/tendon. The flexibility gains are not as great with passive stretching as it is with active stretching.

Static Stretching: Static stretching is a technique where the muscle is slowly stretched and then held in the stretched position for several seconds. This type of stretching allows the muscle to be relaxed so that a greater length can be achieved. It is the most frequently.

Dynamic Stretching: Dynamic stretching is a technique that many athletes should be accustomed to. This type of stretching can be in the form of leg swing walks or carioca just to name a few. This is a great way for teens to work on their flexibility in a fun way. It allows them to be active and it can be done with groups and teas. This type of stretching goes for more than two seconds and is done without stopping the movement.

Ballistic Stretching: Ballistic stretching is a type of stretching, but it is not recommended for improving flexibility. This type of stretching could lead to muscle soreness and injury because it is possible that this technique could cause small tears in soft tissue due to the bouncing movements that force the muscle to lengthen. Ballistic stretching due to the bouncing could stretch ligaments too far if the movement is not controlled.